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NotTaR of Television Sets : Getting inside a TV                     
 Copyright © 1994-2007, Samuel M. Goldwasser. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this document in whole or in part is permitted if both of the following conditions are satisfied: 1. This notice is included in its entirety at the beginning. 2. There is no charge except to cover the costs of copying. I may be contacted via the Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ (www.repairfaq.org) Email Links Page.

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Getting inside a TV

You will void the warranty - at least in principle. There are usually no warranty seals on a TV so unless you cause visible damage or mangle the screws, it is unlikely that this would be detected. You need to decide. A TV still under warranty should probably be returned for warranty service for any covered problems except those with the most obvious and easy solutions. Another advantage of using warranty service is that should your problem actually be covered by a design change, this will be performed free of charge. And, you cannot generally fix a problem which is due to poor design!

Getting into a TV is usually quite simple requiring the removal of anywhere from 4 to 16 Philips or 1/4" hex head screws - most around the rear edge of the cabinet or underneath, a couple perhaps in the middle. Disconnect the antenna and/or antenna or cable wiring first as it may stay with catch on the rear cover you are detaching. Reconnect whatever is needed for testing after the cover is removed.

As you pull the cover straight back (usually) and off, make sure that no other wires are still attached. Often, the main circuit board rests on the bottom of the cover in some slots. Go slow as this circuit board may try to come along with the back. Once the back is off, you may need to prop the circuit board up with a block of wood to prevent stress damage and contact with the work surface.

Most TVs can still be positioned stably on any of three sides (left, right, bottom) even without the rear cover. However, some require the cover for mechanical strength or to not easily fall over. Be careful- larger TVs, in particular, are quite heavy and bulky. Get someone to help and take precautions if yours is one of the unstable variety. If need be, the set can usually safely be positioned on the CRT face if it is supported by foam or a folded blanket.

Reassemble in reverse order. Getting the circuit board to slide smoothly into its slots may take a couple of attempts but otherwise there should be no surprises.


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